Radojičić Aleksandra, Milićević Ana, Ždraljević Mirjana, Jeremić Marta, Orlović Dajana, Mijajlović Milija
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Brain Sci. 2024 Sep 19;14(9):938. doi: 10.3390/brainsci14090938.
Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a prevalent and potentially preventable secondary headache disorder linked to the excessive use of medications intended for primary headache management, particularly migraine.
The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of MOH among undergraduate students and explore their awareness.
This observational cross-sectional study included 401 active undergraduate students from the University of Belgrade. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire which was distributed among student groups and via social media. The questionnaire specially designed for this study was developed in accordance with established guidelines for headache epidemiological research.
Among the surveyed students, 10 of them (2.5%) met the criteria for the diagnosis of MOH. Awareness of MOH was noted in 149 (37.2%) students, with higher awareness among medical students and those aged 22-25 years. Despite this awareness, there was no significant difference in MOH occurrence between those aware and unaware of the condition (aware 2.7% vs. unaware 2.4%, = 1.000). Additionally, significant gaps in education and communication about MOH were evident.
Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from a single university at one time point. The questionnaire was not specifically validated in the student population, and the data relied on self-reporting.
Our study highlighted a notable prevalence of MOH among undergraduate students, with a substantial portion exhibiting awareness of its risks. Despite this awareness, our findings suggest ongoing gaps in education and communication regarding MOH, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.
药物过量使用性头痛（MOH）是一种常见且可能可预防的继发性头痛疾病，与过度使用用于原发性头痛治疗的药物有关，尤其是偏头痛药物。
我们研究的目的是评估大学生中MOH的患病率，并探索他们的知晓情况。
这项观察性横断面研究纳入了来自贝尔格莱德大学的401名在校本科生。数据通过一份匿名在线问卷收集，该问卷在学生群体中分发并通过社交媒体发布。为本研究专门设计的问卷是根据既定的头痛流行病学研究指南制定的。
在接受调查的学生中，有10人（2.5%）符合MOH的诊断标准。149名（37.2%）学生知晓MOH，医学生和22 - 25岁的学生知晓率更高。尽管有这种知晓情况，但知晓和不知晓该疾病的学生在MOH发生率上没有显著差异（知晓者为2.7%，不知晓者为2.4%，P = 1.000）。此外，关于MOH的教育和宣传方面存在明显差距。
参与者是在一个时间点通过便利抽样从一所单一大学招募的。该问卷未在学生群体中进行专门验证，且数据依赖自我报告。
我们的研究突出了大学生中MOH的显著患病率，相当一部分人表现出对其风险的知晓。尽管有这种知晓情况，但我们的研究结果表明在MOH的教育和宣传方面仍存在差距，强调了针对性干预的必要性。
